This invention relates to apparatus for removing valve seals from a cylinder head of an engine. More particularly, this invention relates to valve seal removal apparatus having a lever and at least a pair of gripping members for frictionally gripping a portion of a valve seal.
The replacement of failed valve seals in an automotive (or other type) engine (failed valve seals causes oil consumption and smoke emissions) is a time consuming and expensive process. In such a repair, however, the labor cost is typically considerably greater than the cost of any necessary parts, particularly because of the inaccessibility of the valve seals and the labor required to reach them. For example, in addition to the time and labor required for the removal of (and reassembly of) the valve covers, pushrods, rocker arms, the head from the engine block, and the keepers and valve springs, the removal of valve seals using prior art tools and/ or techniques can take upwards of 60-70 minutes. This is due, in part, to the difficulty of successfully xe2x80x9cgraspingxe2x80x9d typical valve seals (which are located in a small, narrow space and are often stuck on the head due to heat and deposits) with known tools and applying the necessary threshold force required for removal without the tool slipping from the seal or damaging the valve guide or lifter bore. In addition to these problems, prior art tools often can only accommodate a narrow range of valve seal diameters which vary widely.
Because of the high labor costs associated with valve seal replacement, the causative difficulty and time required in removing them, and the restrictive nature of some prior art valve seal removal tools with respect to valve seal diameter and location (in a narrow port), it is apparent that there exists a need in the art for a valve seal removing tool which overcomes, mitigates, or solves the above problems in the art. It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill this and other needs in the art which will become more apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.
Generally speaking, this invention fulfills the above-described needs in the art by providing: valve seal removal apparatus comprising:
a longitudinal body having a shaft extending substantially coaxially therefrom;
a lever member pivotally attached proximal a first end of the longitudinal body;
a first gripping means having a first gripping member located thereon;
a second gripping means having a second gripping member located substantially opposed to the first gripping member, the second gripping means being pivotally attached proximal the first end of the longitudinal body, the lever being capable of operating the second gripping means such that the second gripping means is biased in a direction towards or away from the first gripping means;
a stop member located along a length of the shaft;
an impact member located slidably on the shaft for impacting the stop member.
In another embodiment, there is provided: in a tool for removing valve seals from a valve guide on a cylinder head, the tool including a gripping end for gripping a portion of a valve seal and a slide hammer for impacting a stop mechanism and imparting an axial force on a valve seal in order to remove the valve seal from a valve guide, the improvement comprising:
a gripping means including at least one biasable member, the gripping means further including at least a first and second piercing member, the first and second piercing members located substantially opposite one another for frictionally gripping a portion of a valve seal;
a first handle portion;
a lever for multiplying an applied force pivotally connected proximal the first handle portion and further including a second handle portion, the lever being operable by the second handle portion in order to articulate the biasable member between at least a first and second position;
a shaft extending from the first handle portion and including a stop mechanism located thereon;
a slide hammer slidably located on the shaft for impacting the stop mechanism and imparting an axial force to the tool.